Paradise

Viva Pinata: Trouble in Paradise is the sequel to the best game nobody played in 2006. The title may have been lost in the hard-core mix because of its cutesy characters and unconventional gardening gameplay. There was also this game called Gears of War that may have overshadowed it, but that’s another story.

This time around, Viva Pinata:TIP boasts a couple of innovations. The developer, Rare, made it more casual with a two-player co-operative play (though there’s no split screen; both cursors have to stay in one area), an improved interface, new weather-influencing powers and a Xbox Live Vision interaction (that’s what those cards are for).

Yes, you read that right — motorbikes. You know, as in those two wheel things that go vroom and move really fast and when you see them on the road, you drive especially cautious because you don’t know if they’ll weave in front of you and cause a horrific accident. Yes, those motorbikes will be in a constantly evolving Burnout Paradise, according to Criterion itself.

It gives players a little more incentive to revisit Burnout’s Paradise City. In addition, the motorbikes have their own missions scattered throughout the world, and Criterion also added a day and night feature. Nice. This will all be part of the Davis update, which will be available in August.

Eurogamer.net says that Criterion hinted at planes. Although I have some reservations about that idea. It just depends on the way planes are done. ie. I don’t want to see them crash into buildings. Whatever they do, it’s interesting that reviewers may have to go back to Burnout Paradise again and perhaps rerate it with an A-plus-plus.